The American Myth of Caring

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Oki Husband

I’m thinking along the following lines (and the school in mention is St. Joseph’s Indian School in South Dakota).  Take a look at my rantings and remember “If everything else fails, use common sense.”

I love you very much



Some weeks ago I received a rather bulky envelope. It was mailed from a catholic school for Native American Children in South Dakota – a school that has been in operation for about a century now ...

If you know anything about  what transpired at the Native Indian schools that were once set up all over the country to back up the policy of “Kill the Indian; Save the Man”; if you have ever seen the eyes of the Children who were forcibly removed from their families, or lured away with licorice or lemon drops to places where they were violated down to the very core of their spiritual being, you might understand that this gave me food for thought.

How this school got my name and address in the first place, I do not know. Of course I looked it up on the Internet where it seemed very politically correct. But when I took a second look at the mailing I had received, I saw a different story.

Apart from ‘the gift” of stickers and note pads, there was a dream catcher made in China – yes, China! The material included a whole lot of mention of how respect is an integral part of Lakota tradition – which it most certainly is, as it is in any tradition worth its salt. I even received a personalized letter, supposedly from a young girl at the school.

And yet, the whole thing was as devoid of respect as it could possibly have been. Most of all, in relation to the Child who was Used as ambassador for the school’s fundraising project. And wouldn’t you know, the material sent to me even included a form where I could have secured the services of a genuine priest praying for me, provided of course that I paid first.

And now, once more, Native American Children are being abducted and abused by those who think they know better. Do you?

Many Blessings
SummerFawn

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